PA: Race against time to thwart Hamas bombing

Palestinian security official says Abbas' security forces ordered to crackdown on Hamas and groups affiliated with it in order to thwart potential terror attack ahead or during US-sponsored regional peace conference in November

Palestinian Authority officials said they were in a "race against time" to torpedo plans of Hamas and groups affiliated with the organization to carry out a large-scale terror bombing that could sabotage the success of the US-sponsored regional peace conference in November.

A senior Palestinian security official told Ynet Wednesday that President Mahmoud Abbas has ordered the security forces in the West Bank to make intensive efforts to foil any such attack.

"The rais' (president's) message to the commanders was clear. He said he would not tolerate any failure, and that commanders would carry personal responsibility if any failure does occur," the official said.

He added that the PA was diligently searching for gunmen and Hamas cells that might be planning an attack in Israel ahead or during the peace summit. "There's a race against time going on between us and Hamas on who would succeed first: they in carrying out the bombing, or us in foiling it."

According to the official, measures against Hamas included surveillance, informants, arrests, closing down civil groups and other steps.